RismadarVoice Reporters
September 4, 2026
The United Nations General Assembly has approved the merger of two of its major learning and training institutions, paving the way for the establishment of a new body focused on strengthening capacity development within the UN system and its member states.
The 193-member General Assembly, including Nigeria, adopted the resolution on Thursday, approving the integration of the UN System Staff College (UNSSC) into the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The resolution also approved the establishment of the UN Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI), which is expected to begin operations in January 2027.
The decision forms part of the broader UN80 Initiative, which seeks to make the United Nations more effective, coherent and responsive to emerging global challenges.
The new institution will bring together UNITAR’s expertise in supporting governments, diplomats and public institutions with UNSSC’s experience in leadership development, staff training and knowledge-sharing.
Speaking on the development, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNITAR Executive Director, Michelle Gyles-McDonough, said the merger would help the organisation respond more effectively to increasingly complex global challenges.
“Member States and the United Nations system are facing increasingly complex and interconnected challenges,” she said.
Gyles-McDonough added that the UN needed to strengthen its capabilities, promote innovation and improve institutional effectiveness to translate global commitments into tangible results.
According to the UN, the merger will create a unified platform for learning and capability development, allowing member states, UN agencies and partners to access expertise and support more efficiently.
It is also expected to reduce duplication and fragmentation across the organisation’s training and learning functions.
The Acting Director of UNSSC, Miguel Panadero, said the integration would provide a more coordinated approach to capacity development.
He said combining UNITAR’s work with member states and UNSSC’s training support for the UN system would position the new institution to deliver a stronger and more coherent learning and capability-development function.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also welcomed the General Assembly’s decision, according to his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric.
Dujarric said the decision recognised continuous learning, capability development and innovation as strategic components of the UN’s effectiveness and reform efforts.
He added that the Secretary-General had called on member states, UN agencies, partners and other stakeholders to contribute to shaping the future of the new institution.
The transition is expected to take place in phases through the end of 2026 to ensure the continuity of existing programmes, partnerships and services.
Until the transition is completed, UNITAR and UNSSC will continue to operate under their existing structures.
UNICLI will be headquartered in Geneva, while Turin, Italy, will retain its role as a UN learning campus and centre for leadership development.
Existing operations in Bonn, Hiroshima, Madrid and New York are also expected to continue.
